A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pai vs. Benxi for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pai or Benxi?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pai and Benxi. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Pai or Benxi?

Pai

As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.

Benxi

Benxi, China is a city in the south east of the Liaoning Province in northeast China. The city itself is a major industrial hub, but is best known for the Benxi Shuidong National Park where you'll find the famous five million year old water cave. Benxi experiences cold winters, with weather being less enjoyable for touring from November through March. May through August see much warmer weather, getting up to the high 80's Fahrenheit in late summer. September and October are also good times to visit as temperatures cool to 60-70 degrees.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in China.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pai and Benxi, we can see that Benxi is more expensive. And not only is Pai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Benxi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Benxi than you might in Pai.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pai Expensive? and Is Benxi Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Pai or Benxi?

Benxi has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Pai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Benxi in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Pai as well as Benxi. Pai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the summer, Pai is a little warmer than Benxi. Typically, the summer temperatures in Pai in July average around 29°C (85°F), and Benxi averages at about 25°C (78°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Benxi. In the summer, Pai often gets less sunshine than Benxi. Pai gets 146 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 214 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Benxi. Pai receives a lot of rain in the summer. Pai usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Benxi. Pai gets 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Benxi in the Autumn?

Both Benxi and Pai are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Pai throughout the year.

In October, Pai is generally much warmer than Benxi. Daily temperatures in Pai average around 29°C (84°F), and Benxi fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

It's quite sunny in Benxi. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pai. Pai usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Benxi during autumn. Pai gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 216 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It's quite rainy in Pai. In October, Pai usually receives more rain than Benxi. Pai gets 115 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Pai or Benxi in the Winter?

Both Benxi and Pai during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Pai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Benxi. Pai is much warmer than Benxi in the winter. The daily temperature in Pai averages around 24°C (74°F) in January, and Benxi fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

It's quite sunny in Pai. In the winter, Pai often gets more sunshine than Benxi. Pai gets 283 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Benxi receives 167 hours of full sun.

Pai usually gets more rain in January than Benxi. Pai gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Pai or Benxi in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Pai and Benxi. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Pai year-round.

The heat can be very extreme in Pai. In the spring, Pai is much warmer than Benxi. Typically, the spring temperatures in Pai in April average around 32°C (89°F), and Benxi averages at about 11°C (51°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Benxi this time of the year. In Pai, it's very sunny this time of the year. Pai usually receives more sunshine than Benxi during spring. Pai gets 275 hours of sunny skies, while Benxi receives 241 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Pai usually receives around the same amount of rain as Benxi. Pai gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Benxi receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Benxi and Pai